Hand-held data terminal and communicator

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a hand-held terminal adapted for data gathering, data processing, and voice and data communication. Included is a housing which includes a front section having an exterior and an interior, and a rear section having an exterior and an interior, wherein the front section is hinged to the rear section. These front and rear sections may be disposed in either a linear, angular, or parallel relationship. Key means for entering information into the terminal and display means for displaying information are incorporated into the exterior of the front section. A low power frequency hopping transceiver is disposed at least partially within the housing for receiving and transmitting information via the terminal. Also included are scanning means disposed within the housing for optically reading information stored in coded information sets and battery means disposed within the housing for providing electrical power. Finally, a computer is included within the housing for processing information input and output the terminal.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 08/025,039, filed on Mar. 1, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,324.925,which in turn was a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 07/996,908, filed on Dec. 28, 1992, now abandoned, which in turn wasa continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/951,263,filed on Sep. 25, 1992, now abandoned.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to hand-held data terminals andmore particularly to a hand-held data terminal capable of real timevoice and data communication, data collection, and data processing.

BACKGROUND ART

In the medical care industry, where medical personnel make numerousvisits to individual patients, it is necessary for the personnel toensure proper patient identification before care can commence. Further,the personnel must consult written charts to see what care has beenordered, what medication is to be administered, and what tests must berun. These personnel must then record what care has been provided, theresults of the various tests, and the times and dosages of anymedications which have been administered. The purpose of the presentinvention is to automate this procedure in an attempt to eliminate thepotential for human error which is inherent in the present procedures.Various attempts at automation of some of these functions of medicalpersonnel have been made, but with limited success because of thefailure to devise an overall scheme for total automation andcommunication of the numerous individuals and offices involved in thetotal health care process.

The present invention may also be adapted for use by retailers andmanufactures or the like. For example, the present invention might beutilized by customer service, sales, and warehouse employees such thatcustomers may locate, purchase, and obtain goods more quickly.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in a simple form, provides a hand-held terminaladapted for data gathering, data processing, and voice and datacommunication. Included is a housing which comprises a front sectionhaving an exterior and interior, and a rear section also having anexterior and interior, wherein the front section is hinged to the rearsection. The first and second sections may be disposed in either linear,angular, or parallel relation.

Key means for entering information into the terminal and display meansfor displaying information are incorporated into the exterior portion ofthe front section. A low power, frequency hopping, transceiver isdisposed at least partially within the housing for receiving andtransmitting information via the terminal. Also included are scanningmeans disposed within the housing for optically reading informationstored in coded information sets and battery means disposed within thehousing for providing electrical power. Finally, a computer is includedwithin the housing for processing information input and output theterminal.

As a further aspect of the present invention a long range wand typelaser scanner may be incorporated such that the apparatus may beutilized to read optically readable information located at a substantialdistance from the operator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the various components of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention in actual use;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention in the openconfiguration in preparation for voice communication;

FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view;

FIG. 5 is a right side elevational view with the invention in the open,voice communication configuration;

FIG. 6 is a top planar view of the invention in the open, voicecommunication configuration;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention inserted into a dockingstation;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the invention showing the inventioninserted into the docking station;

FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of the invention with the batterycover removed; and

FIGS. 10A-10E and 11A-11C are a diagrammatic illustration of anexemplary frequency hopping synchronization schema and process for usein the voice and data communication portion of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention, in an exemplary embodiment 10, includes a frontsection 12 hinged to a rear section 14 by a joint 16. Provided on theupper surface of the front section 12 is a display 18 and keypad 20. Auser may manually input data via said keypad 20 such that said data maybe stored or transmitted to a remote transceiver for processing.

Turning now to FIG. 1, a diagrammatic illustration is provided whereinthe important components of an exemplary embodiment and theirrelationship is shown. In operation, data may be input into the terminal10 for processing via a scanner module 24, keyboard means 20, or aserial E² PROM (a touch screen or pen based stylus screen may also beutilized). Such data may be manipulated and processed according tostandard algorithms suitable to the desired functions and features ofthe apparatus 10. The processed information may be output from thecentral processing, for example, to a flash EPROM where said data may bestored in a SRAM or transmitted via a frequency hopping, low power,radio transmitter 22.

The apparatus 10 may include, in an exemplary embodiment, a three cellnickel metal hydride prismatic battery pack 44 (a Motorola MicroTakbattery pack might also be utilized). Likewise, stored, processed, ormanipulated data may be displayed on the display 18 such that a user ofthe apparatus 10 may be notified of certain results, messages or neededinputs.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the apparatus of an exemplary embodiment 10 isshown in a user's hand such that the scanner module 24 may be operated.In an exemplary embodiment a long range laser wand scanner is employed.The scanner module 24 is adapted to read optically readable informationover a substantial range of distances. The module 24 includes a laserlight source 26 (such as a VLD or the like) and a detector 28. Inoperation, a user may simply activate the scanner via a switch or othermeans such that the visible light beam produced by the laser lightsource 26 may be manually scribed over a bar code or the like. The usermay be notified via the display 18 when an accurate read has beenobtained.

FIG. 3, 4, 5, 6, 10A-E, and 11A-C illustrate the voice communicationfeature of an exemplary embodiment 10 of the present invention.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention would use the GECPlessey FH radio for radio frequency communications at 1 Mbps. As may beseen in FIG. 11A, a data rate of 888,889 bits per second may be obtainedusing a hop schedule of 217 hops per second, with each hop allowing thetransfer of 512 bytes of information. Given this high net datathroughput capability, it is also possible to provide voicecommunication capability. One approach is 8K sample, 8 bit FCM whichnets 64,000 bps data rates. Data compression techniques would allow thisto be reduced to as low as 8,000 bps, although a more appropriate netrate would be estimated at 16,000 bps. Assuming a maximum data ratepotential of 800,000 bps, derating to 25% of that rate, or 200,000 bps,would yield 12 effective voice channels (200,000/16,000). Such acapability would provide secure voice communications, broadcast orselected terminal communications, and telephone interconnect for dataand voice transmissions.

Of course, while data may be transmitted digitally via the radio module22, data may also be communicated between the terminals, of an exemplaryembodiment 10, via a docking station 34, having a plurality of dockingports 36. In a preferred embodiment the laser light source 26 anddetector 28 of the terminal 10 may be utilized to transmit and receivedata between the terminals 10 and a docking station 34. This may beaccomplished via a laser light source 38 and detector 40 mounted in thedocking ports 36 of the station 34 (FIGS. 7 & 8).

Finally, turning to FIG. 9, the terminal 10 may be powered by aremovable, rechargeable battery pack 44. In an exemplary embodimentnickel-metal-hydride batteries are employed. As illustrated by FIG. 9the battery pack 44 may be electrically connected to the terminal uponinsertion of the pack 44 into a battery compartment 42. The battery pack44 may be secured in the compartment 42 via a battery compartment cover46.

Whereas, the present invention has been shown and described inconnection with a preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent that manymodifications, additions and substitutions may be made which are withinthe intended broad scope of the appended claims. For example,chip-on-board (COB) technology may be employed to assist inminiaturization of the terminal.

We claim:
 1. A hand-held portable terminal and docking system,comprising:(a) a housing; (b) a keypad disposed within said housing forentering information into said terminal; (c) a display disposed withinsaid housing for displaying information; (d) a low power, frequencyhopping, transceiver disposed at least partially within said housing forreceiving and transmitting information by said terminal, wherein saidlow power frequency hopping transceiver further comprises voicecommunication means; (e) at least one of a scanner and a bar code readerdisposed within said housing for optically reading information stored incoded information sets; (f) a battery disposed within said housing forproviding electrical power thereto; (g) a computer, disposed within saidhousing, for processing information input and output said terminal; and(h) a dock for removably receiving at least one hand-held portableterminal for at least one of recharging said battery disposed withinsaid housing and communicating with said at least one hand-held portableterminal.
 2. The hand-held portable terminal of claim 1, wherein saidbattery means is at least one nickel metal hydride cell.
 3. Thehand-held portable terminal of claim 1, wherein said voice communicationis digitized and compressed before transmission.